What woud you do, emigrating to NZ?

[Charlee]

My um grew up in NZ and has recently been back, for a holiday, anyway i turns out that myself,dp and ds and my mum hve the chance of a new life there, this means new jobs that are higher payed, a place to live and generally a better way of life.

I really want to go, basicly were stuck in a tiny council flatt that we have no chance of getting out of anytime soon, i have no friends and dp's few friends are few and notvery reliable,dp is stuck in a job that he doesnt particually like, our money situation isnt bad but could be better. also i think it would be a fantasticexperience and a lovley place for ds to grow up.
I we go we will be going next year, the jod dp has been promised will start then and plus i would prefer for ds to go when he was young so we didnt have to move his schools and leave his friends ect.

The problem is dp doesnt want to go! he says it will be difficult to leave behind his mum and brother and sister, i totaly understand this and im not expecting him to find it easy but were in the same boat as we will be leaving behind my sisters and neices and nephews. I know it would be hard toleave loved ones but i feel its a once in a lifetime oppertunity and it would be a better way of life and that is silly to pass up the opertunity.

All we would have t do is apply for a work visa and then save for the flight as accomodation will be provided and jobs are ready.
I think dp is scared of change, and he is very stubborn and always has been, im not saying this just becasue i want more money ect, i truly belive it will make our lives better. im not sure wether to go aloe with ds, or to stay abd be unhappy or pursueade dp to come with us? any advice???

I personally can't believe you could get more money in NZ, especially if you are doing a similar thing already. But the lifestyle I find way better, and I wouldn't go back now if you paid me.

Do you mind me asking is ds is dp's child?

You are still only a flight away.
I agree with bobbybob in that you might be making more in NZ$ the cost of things is higher in NZ$ than in pounds but it sort of works out. The lifestyle is great.

There is a thread futher down the travel section about moving to NZ started by NickyW have a look for some of the links on it as it will give you an idea of rent, food etc that you can work out whether you will be better off.

Do you ever watch any of those 'Get a new life'-type programmes? People often hate it. I think usually because they haven't thought it through properly, investigated what it's really like, stuff like that. (Also because they don't bother to learn Spanish/Italian/whatever, very often - which won't apply to NZ).

Try not to romanticize it too much, and tbh, if your dp doesn't want to go, he's not going to be a great deal of help to you if you do go and find it tough, is he?

Yes bobbybob ds is dp's child hes 11 month at the moment.

We have all thought this through a great deal and dp's job wouldnt be the same at the moment he works in a car valet service, even though he is qualified in i.t which is the job he would be doing over in NZ. im not thinking its all going to be fun and games belive me! i have recearched everything and i know money will be slightly better plus dp would ahve the oppertunity to rise up in the company were he is now that can never happen.

I have asked dp to ocme for say 6 monthds or as long as he wants and see how he likes it and then if hes unhappy he could move home, i knoe my do inside out and i know once he got ther and was setteld he would love it.

Go for it as you say you can always come back if it does not work out.

I would love to emigrate to NZ or OZ but I thought it was really difficult to get visas. How are you doing it?

Well you can't just go and leave him. My first six months here in NZ felt like a holiday (obviously I had to work, so a working holiday).

Would he rather be a car valet and live in a council flat than try something new, using his qualifications?

Ask him to try it for a year - i reckon you can't decide until you have seen all the seasons.

Don't underestimate the amount of people who will want to visit you either - NZ is on most people's wish list and knowing someone who lives here tips the balance for them.

If he hates it you missed nothing - your ds will still not be at school and you can replicate at least the standard of living you have at the moment.

Is he a saver - would the idea of saving some of his larger salary to improve his life in the UK appeal to him.

I am asking him to come for a year then decide, but im not sure he is willing to go for it, i know hes not happy with the way life is now but i think hes worried about change and if things mess up. he hasnt had a nice life and is always being let down by everyone so im not suprised hes wary.

We will be applying for work visas as the man whos offered him the i.t managers job will be willing to help us with what we need for the visas.

We couls save i suppose a little bit, but its not our finaces ect that i dont like its the way of life here, we could only ever afford a little bit to save anyway, we have no hope of ever getting a property of our own, dp's job can neve go anywhere, our finacial situation will NEVER change! i dont want to look back on my life when im 50 and have dp still moaning about his job, he hates the people he works with, i dont want to be stuck in the same horrible pokey flat, i dont want to be limited to the number of kids i can have becasue of money and spce, i want to live my life to the full!

Would he take the job if it was round the corner? - after doing something he hates for so long he might be terrified of doing the new thing in case that fails. Better the devil you know and all that...